‘Let’s help them out.’ Tacoma artists join up to help friend suffering from health issues

When Sherrie Vineyard found out one of her regular artists was in the hospital, it was a no-brainer to start a fundraiser for him.

Vineyard owns Urban Unglued Dark Markets, an event planning business that specializes in providing a market space for artists, crafters, writers and designers who focus in dark and “spooky” topics.

She has put together a fundraiser and craft show for Bremerton artist Josh Myers, also known as Josh Monster, on June 29 at the Dryer Masonic Center.

“We’ve developed this very close-knit community where everybody helps everybody out,” Vineyard said. “It was just a natural thing for me to say, ‘Well, let’s help them out.’”

The show, “Healing Josh Monster Fundraiser and Craft Show,” has 17 confirmed vendors with 10 pending, most of whom are friends with Myers and his partner, Jessica Papineau.

Myers and Papineau have sold their art at Urban Unglued events for three years, and Vineyard said the two are almost always at the shows.

Myers sculpts, draws, paints and works with just about anything he can get his hands on. Papineau specializes in crystal wire wraps and glass work.

Tariana Hendry, owner of PNW Soap Co. and friends with Papineau and Myers, said the couple helps keep Urban Unglued and other vending events lighthearted.

“The times that I’ve done shows with either Jessica or Josh, we’re usually in the same room, so there’s always hollering across the room about something funny,” Hendry said.

Hendry was scheduled to be at another event Saturday but dropped out to be at the fundraiser for Myers and Papineau.

“I would much rather do a fundraiser to help friends with their needs,” Hendry said. “We’re always helping each other, helping each other set up, tear down. I feel like if I was ever in a situation where I needed the same kind of support, they’d be like, ‘Yes, let’s do this.’ We’re just a big family.”

Each vendor at the market will be given an envelope and will be able to donate a portion of sales to Myers and Papineau.

“I haven’t set any goals or anything because I’m just certain that everybody’s going to do the absolute best that they can because of the nature of this group,” Vineyard said.

Papineau said some of their friends who won’t be able to make it to the show on Saturday due to previous booking will donate sales from their events the same day as well.

“This is their livelihood, too, and them wanting to take a day to support us instead of supporting themselves is huge,” Papineau said. “Our community and our tribe is just amazing. Without them, I don’t know what I’d be doing.”

Myers was admitted to Harrison Medical Center in Bremerton June 8. He originally went in for cellulitis in his leg but experienced chest pains while there. The doctors told him his heart was operating at 25-30 percent and what he was experiencing was a mild heart attack, Myers said.

“(It was) a complete shocker,” he said. “I didn’t know anything was wrong with my heart at all. It was a huge scare.”

Myers was transported to the Swedish Medical Center in Seattle for an angiogram. Myers said there were no blockages and no severe damage in his heart.

“It was just an overworked heart from a hard life lived, which is a nice way to put that,” Myers said.

Myers is a recovering drug addict and alcoholic with 10 years of sobriety under his belt, but his early lifestyle put a lot of strain on his heart. He said he is also diabetic and has some other health issues, which might have contributed to his heart troubles.

Myers was discharged from the Seattle hospital June 16 and has been resting since.

Papineau said he attempted to go back to work at his day job at Blue Collar Tattoo but was unable to without risking his health.

Myers’ job as a tattoo artist is the main source of income for a house of four. He provides for himself, Papineau and her parents. Not being able to work has caused them a lot of stress.

Papineau started a GoFundMe and a Facebook fundraiser to help with expenses, which have raised a combined $2,540.

“You’ve seen fundraisers for people, and it’s nothing that I ever thought would be done for me because I don’t view myself as ... I didn’t know I affected people that way,” Myers said. “I don’t know how to say thank you enough to everyone. I want to do more for them because they’re doing so much more for me. I really want to give back to everyone who’s giving to me.”

Myers said he didn’t know about the fundraiser and craft show in Tacoma until Papineau showed him the Facebook event page.

“I’ve never had a community like this that’s so willing to help,” Myers said. “It’s been absolutely just mind blowing to have this.”

Vineyard said having Urban Unglued is rewarding for her because she is able to help artists launch their own businesses, which helps them put food on the table. Having the fundraiser for Myers is an extension of that.

“Both of them are so kind, Vineyard said. “They would take their shirt off their back for anybody, and they didn’t ask for this. This is something that their community is doing for them.”

Myers said he will be at the craft show on Saturday, as his health allows, to thank everyone in person.

“They’re friends, they’re all friends,” Myers said.

“They’re family,” Papineau corrected.

Fundraiser for Josh Myers

When: June 29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where: Dryer Masonic Center, 306 134th St. S., Parkland.

Donations: A portion of sales from an arts and crafts show will go to Myers. Also, the band Mystery Soda will play throughout the craft show. People can donate $1 for a song request or $20 for 5 minutes of silence.

This story was originally published June 26, 2019 at 3:35 PM.